Modi to meet Netaji's family members at 7RCR, avoids reference to declassification of secret files

New Delhi, Sep 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed nation in his 12th edition of his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' and said he will soon meet 50 members of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's family at his Delhi-based official residence.

The PM, however, made no mention of the of the issue of declassification of secret files related to the freedom fighter which is being demanded by various sections after Mamata Banerjee Government in West Bengal did so.

During the 30-minute programme, he recalled that in May he had met some family members of Subhash Chandra Bose during a visit to Kolkata.

"I got an opportunity to spend some time with them. That day it was decided that the extended family of Subhash babu will visit the Prime Minister's residence.... Last week, I got confirmation that over 50 members of Subhash babu are coming to visit the Prime Minister's residence," Mr. Modi said.

"Over 50 members of Subhash babu's family, from various countries, will be coming...I am happy to welcome them," he said.

Describing it as a momentous occasion for him, Mr. Modi said the family members of Netaji, perhaps for the first time, would be together visiting the Prime Minister's residence.

"But the bigger happiness is for me as nobody in the Prime Minister's residence would have got such a chance earlier as I will be getting in October."

After West Bengal government declassified 64 such files a few days back, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and some others have demanded that the central government also should declassify the files that are with the PMO and Home Ministry.

In the programme, suggestions and questions from various callers, including that by a child, were also aired.

PM Modi spoke about a number of issues, including those he had highlighted during the previous episodes like giving up of LPG subsidy, Swacch Bharat campaign, promotion of khadi besides pushing for greater voter participation and paying tributes to soldiers on the 50th anniversary of 1965 India-Pak war.

The Prime Minister, who had started the ‘Mann Ki Baat' programme on Gandhi Jayanti last year, recalled that he had made the same appeal at that time and it had resulted in doubling of sales of khadi products in one year.